The Oklahoma Bar Journal October 2026

F rom the P resident

set of skills. Pro bono service gives us an opportunity to share those skills with people who need them most. It reminds us why we became lawyers in the first place: to solve problems, advocate for others and use the law to make a differ ence. Justice should not depend on the size of someone’s bank account. Every time a lawyer volunteers to help someone who cannot afford legal representation, we move a little closer to making the promise of equal justice a reality. No single lawyer can close the justice gap. But every lawyer can help narrow it. That is the respon sibility we share. And it is one of the most meaningful privileges of being a lawyer.

and the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation, will take place this Veterans Day, Nov. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will be an in-person clinic providing a wide range of pro bono legal services to those who have honorably served our nation. Learn more and see volunteer registration information on page 83 of this journal. There is much more you can do to serve your communities and your neighbors. Volunteer with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. Take a pro bono case. Participate in a clinic. Offer your expertise to a nonprofit organization serving people in need. If time is limited, find another way to contribute, whether through financial sup port, mentoring or helping connect those who need assistance with organizations that can provide it. As members of the legal profes sion, we have been given a unique

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Right here in Oklahoma, there are many ways to serve. Our Young Lawyers Division regu larly hosts Wills for Heroes events in rural communities, helping the families of law enforcement and first responders be prepared in the event the unthinkable happens. Oklahoma Free Legal Answers 2 is another great oppor tunity – by using this virtual legal advice clinic, qualifying users can post civil legal questions at no cost to be answered by licensed Oklahoma volunteer attorneys. FAQs and a sign-up link for Oklahoma lawyers interested in volunteering are available at https://oklahoma.freelegalanswers.org. And I am also very excited to share our inaugural Heroes Day Event, 3 co-sponsored by the OBA Military Assistance Committee

ENDNOTES

1. https://bit.ly/4cU8ZhB 2. https://oklahoma.freelegalanswers.org/ 3. https://bit.ly/4rmLDY1

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL